10 things we've learned in first 10 days of Cowboys training camp, from latest on Zeke, Jaylon to rookie rundown

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The Cowboys opened their preseason with the Hall of Fame game Thursday night in Canton, Ohio. Ahead of kickoff, here are 10 things we've learned in the first 10 days of training camp, from Jaylon Smith and rookie updates to the latest on Ezekiel Elliott:

1) Jaylon's World

The Cowboys' second-round pick from 2016 is finally back on the field, after a year and a half rehabbing his serious knee injury. Linebacker Jaylon Smith did not play in Thursday's Hall of Fame game, but his chance of being ready for the season opener is good. He can lift his toes as well as push downward with his foot to accelerate now, per SportsDay Cowboys insider Brandon George. He was knocked to the ground for the first time in Tuesday's contact practice and has practiced four of the six padded training camp practices so far, including consecutive days. Oh, and Smith has even tried some non-practice activities without the Richie brace supporting his drop foot.

"It's amazing how good he looks," Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee said. "To be able to show that acceleration already it's been incredible. He's making it look seamless. He is the complete package and it's a matter of time before he's dominating."

The Cowboys drafted defense-heavy this year, but they took wide receiver Ryan Switzer in the fourth round. Switzer turned heads in offseason activities, making plays and endearing himself to Dez Bryant. Now, Switzer's being mentored by fellow slot receiver Cole Beasley.

"We're similar in stature but the way we run routes is different," Beasley said. "He's great against man coverage and that's why we got him. He's already good against the press.

"If we line up me, Switz, Dez and T-Will and the fifth can be Witten or Zeke, who are they going to double? You assume Dez at first. But I'm not sure too many guys can cover Switzer one-on-one. And if you get a (linebacker) on me or Switzer, it's a wrap."

3) Who will run the ball the next couple weeks?

Since preseason games are all about backups, look for running backs Rod Smith and Ronnie Hillman in games the next few weeks. The Cowboys signed Hillman, a former Broncos RB, last week to lessen Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris' carries should they need to be used more heavily with a looming Ezekiel Elliott suspension and after Jahad Thomas couldn't take part in camp because of injury.

Rod, brother of linebacker Jaylon Smith, has helped on Cowboys special teams in recent years and moved back from fullback this offseason. He's gotten attention - and touchdowns - in training camp practices so far. In the Cowboys' Hall of Fame game, Rod led all rushers with 64 yards on 18 carries. Alfred Morris slotted second with 42 yards on seven carries, good for an efficient 6 yards per carry.

Until then, Jason Garrett spoke with Elliott about the consequences of his off-field choices recently. And the running back has continued to show a natural instinct for finding gaps as well as contributing in the pass-catching game.

"I've never gotten in trouble since I've been in the league. I've never had anything my whole life," Carroll said. "This is one of those things that they know it's not me. I've tried to come out here and show them what I'm capable of every single day and I'm working hard."

7) The Lucky Whitehead saga

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Lucky Whitehead's red-tipped hair flies through the air as he makes a cut during the morning walk-thru at training camp in Oxnard, California, Tuesday, August 9, 2016. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)

Receiver Lucky Whitehead, who returned punts for the Cowboys in 2016, had a strange legal confusion at camp's beginning that ended with him off the team, and now a member of the New York Jets. The short: Virginia police put out a warrant for a June shoplifting arrest the first day of training camp. The Cowboys cut Whitehead. Whitehead wasn't in Virginia at the time, it turns out, and the police cleared his name. The Cowboys didn't take him back on the team, thanks to a host of off-field issues, Switzer likely to supplant him as punt returner, and what they called his changing story. Whitehead mocked Garrett's accountability slogan after, saying he was "pretty much called me a liar." Read about it all here.

"I obviously want to be in Dallas," Martin said, "but all I can do is go out there and be myself every day. I'm focused on the season, I'm focused on helping this team win games and being a part of the team. I'll let those guys handle that and just keep doing my business."

Who did get an extension? La'el Collins, who has stepped into the right tackle role with Doug Free's retirement, received a two-year extension worth up to $17.4 million at training camp's start. It's a big bump for a projected first-rounder who fell to an undrafted free agent in 2015 after police brought him for questioning about a shooting death of a former girlfriend. Collins was never a suspect in the homicide. Now, he's getting the payday he didn't then.

"It's a great time in my life right now, extremely blessed," he said. "I'm really ready to show what I'm about."

"It definitely hurt on a national scale a lot of people not knowing who I am and not knowing who I am as a person. It definitely hurt my feelings a little bit. I just forgive all parties for whatever happened. It's just behind me and I'm excited to get out here and play football."